A case of measles has been confirmed in Galway this week. There are fears that the case is linked to an outbreak in Limerick.

The current outbreak in recent weeks in Limerick , led to the HSE issuing a warning that adults and children who have not received the two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly susceptible to the viral infection.

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A spokesperson for the HSE warned of the severity of that the highly contagious illness.

They said: "It is so contagious that if one person has it, 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.

"It is spread easily through coughing and sneezing. Measles can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia and inflammation of the brain and can, in rare cases, lead to a fatal disease of the brain which develops years after the infection.

measles

"The mortality rate from measles infection is 1-2 per 1,000 cases."

The HSE is urging anyone with measles symptoms to:

Stay at home from work. Children should not attend school or crèche.

Call the Department of Public Health at 061 – 483338 to advise that you think you/your child may have measles.

Telephone your GP so that they can see you at a time/place when no one else is there (to avoid infecting others).

Your GP may organise a test to confirm the diagnosis – this is usually done by using a small swab that takes a sample of the oral fluid from the mouth.